What to Expect When You’re Eggspecting
If you’re a backyard chicken or duck keeper, you already know the joy of collecting fresh eggs, watching your birds waddle about, and enjoying their quirky personalities. But let’s be real—nothing ruins that peaceful farmyard feeling faster than a buzzing swarm of flies treating your coop like an all-you-can-eat buffet. Fly control for chickens and ducks is key to keeping your birds happy and healthy.
The good news? You can kick flies to the curb (or better yet, keep them from hatching in the first place) with Fly Predators, nature’s tiny but mighty secret weapon for fly control. These little parasitoid wasps might not wear capes, but they do one heroic thing—stop flies before they ever get the chance to bother your flock.
Now, to get the best results, you’ll want to give these fly-fighting allies a proper Release Station—a safe, cozy spot to hatch and hunt down fly pupae. Think of it as the VIP lounge for your Fly Predators. Here’s how to set it up and make your coop a no-fly zone!
Step 1: Understand How Fly Predators Work
Fly Predators aren’t your typical wasps—they don’t sting, they don’t buzz in your face, and they don’t even fly around. They only care about one thing: hunting down fly pupae and stopping flies before they ever emerge.
When you receive your Fly Predators, they’ll be snug inside their little pupal cases. Once they hatch, they get to work—seeking out fly pupae in manure, moist bedding, or any other fly-friendly zones and laying their eggs inside them. (Sorry, flies. Not today.)
Step 2: Make a Fly Predator Release Station
Sure, you could just toss a handful of Fly Predators into the coop area, but that’s like sending them into a battlefield without armor. Chickens love to scratch, ducks love to splash, and both will happily snack on anything that moves—including your precious Fly Predators.
That’s where Release Stations come in! These protected spots give your Fly Predators a chance to hatch and get moving before they become an accidental chicken treat. Control flies around your chickens the easy way.
What You’ll Need:
- An empty flower pot, mesh bag, or small plastic container with drainage holes (this keeps them safe from trampling, water, and hungry birds).
- A dry, shaded spot near the coop, but not directly in the nesting boxes or where your birds roost.
- A secure way to attach the station—tape, wire, or hanging hooks work great.
How to Set It Up:
- Place your Fly Predator pupae inside the station. Just a tablespoon or two per station will do the trick.
- Hang or attach the station 3–5 feet off the ground—high enough to stay out of the splash zone but low enough for the Fly Predators to find their way out easily.
- Keep the station dry and protected from direct sun—Fly Predators like cozy conditions!
Step 3: Know Where to Place Release Stations
Fly Predators work best when they’re near fly breeding zones—but not on them. That means don’t sprinkle them directly in manure or wet bedding. Instead, place release stations:
🐔 Around the coop perimeter, near (but not in) bedding areas.
🦆 By the duck pond or water source, but on dry ground nearby.
💩 Near manure piles or compost heaps where flies love to lay eggs.
🚫 Away from feed and nesting areas (we don’t want them getting gobbled up).
For best results, place one station every 50–100 feet around your coop and yard.
Step 4: Keep the Cycle Going
Fly Predators aren’t a one-and-done deal—they’re an ongoing fly control squad for your chickens and ducks. They hatch over a few weeks, but to keep your coop fly-free all season, you’ll want to:
- Replenish Fly Predators every 2–4 weeks (depending on how many birds you have).
- Check your release stations to make sure they’re still dry and intact.
- Monitor fly populations—if you start seeing more flies, add more Fly Predators!
Step 5: Celebrate Your Fly-Free Coop!
With a good release station setup, your Fly Predators will thrive, and your flock will be happier, healthier, and way less annoyed by buzzing pests. No more ducks shaking their heads at flies, no more hens fluffing up in frustration. Just a peaceful, clean coop and a happy backyard farm thanks to this all natural approach to fly control.
So, if you’re “eggspecting” a fly-free season, get those Fly Predator release stations set up and let nature do the work for you. Your flock (and your sanity) will thank you!
🐓🐥🐣 Happy fly-free farming! 🚫🪰
